Brake



Feb. 24, 1942, v E. Rf ERICE 2,273,939

BRAKE Original Filed April 4, 1938 2 SheetS-Sl leet l Earn 12.11 856 2 BY ATTORNEY.

valve.

" Patented Feb. 24, 1942 UNITED STATE PATENT 0 FFICE am a. Price, South Bend, Ind., assignor to Ben-- dix Products Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Original. application April 4, 1m, Serial No. 199,787. Divided and can application June so,

1939, Serial No. zaaoas 17 Claims. (Cl. 188-152) 4 This invention relates to power operated de-'- vices and more particularly to a control valve .for vacuum power operation of various devices to be operated by power. As an illustration of the uses of such'devlces automobile brakes may be mentioned.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 199,787, filed April 4, 1938.

I have discovered that in operating devices it.

is desirable to provide a reaction or feel, but

' that if the feel is to be obtained directly from a moderate sized auxiliary cylinder associated with the valve, the reaction developed is insuilicient Furthermore the lost to insure a proper feel. motion of the pedal or'other operator required to operate such a valve is often so large that it uses up too much of the pedal travel.

One object of. the invention therefore is to provide a novel valve for producing a reaction through a pressure responsive element of the Another object is ,to provide a valve for controlling a power operation having means assoelated therewith .for reducing the controlling lever movement necessary to operate the valve.

A further object is to provide a valve for power operation having an arrangement associated I therewith for'multiplying the reaction so as to 'producean appreciable feel on the pedal.

The above and other objects and desirable particular arrangements of parts will become apparent upon reference to the following detailed nected at 36 to a bracket rigidly I mounted on thechassis of the vehicle.

The cross-shaft 21 is provided with a second cross-arm 40 having its ends connected at 42 and 44 respectively to front and rear brake rods 26 --=and' 48 which extend to the front and rear of the vehicle and are connected to arms 50 on -is connected to my novel valve 20 and with a branch 10b which is connected to the rearward end of the vacuum power cylinder 34. Another conduit ll, which may be called the controlled pressure conduit, is connected between my novel valve 20 and the forward end of the vacuum power cylinder 34.

Referring now particularly toFigure 2,my novel valve carrier 18 comprises two members 16 and description of one embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic'view of a brake hookup employing my novel valve Figure 2 is an elevational view of my novel valve and valve carrier with parts broken away in section to show the arrangement 0! the levers;

and

- Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the valve on the line 33 of Figure 2.

I Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown a brake system operable by means of a pedal Ill pivoted at 12 onsome rigid part of the automobile chassis. The pedal I0 is provided with the usual return spring Ii. 'Pivoted at H on the pedal II is one end ofa brake rod It, the other end of which is connected to a brake valve carrier 18 carrying my novel Valve 20. I

Another brake rod 22 extends from the rear of the carrier I8 and is pivotally connected at 24 to a cross-arm 26 centrally mounted on a crossshaft 21 rockable in bearings (not shown) on the'vehicle chassis. I The other end of the crossarm 28 is pivotally connected by a pin and slot lost motion device 28. to a piston rod 20 and piston 32 of the vacuum suspended vacuum brake cylinder 34. The cylinder 34 is swingably con- 18 both of which are preferably forked, the,rearward member I8 to'receive between its furcations the member 16 and the member 16 to receive between its furcations one end of a valve lever 80. V The outer ends of the two members 16 and 18 are threadedly connected to the ends 01 the brake rods l8 and 22 respectively and adjacent their inner ends the two members are connected to each other by means of a pin 82 ext-ending through drilled holes in all of the said furcations. The holes 84 in the members 18 are larger than the pin 82 to provide lost motion for operation of the valve'while the holes 23 in the mem ber 16 lit the pin 82 closely.

The valve lever 80 is pivotally connected at one end to the-carrier member 16' by a pin 80 and is fulcrumed intermediate its ends but near the said one end on a pin 88 journaled in ears 9t projecting downwardly below the member Ii from the furcations of the member 18. The other end of the lever 80 pivotally receives at 82 aclevis 94 connected to a valve push rod 96. My

novel valve. 20 consists of 'three casing shell members'tll, I00v and I02 of which the center member III] is provided with an integral bracket I04 extending between the furcations of the carrier .member 18 and secured thereto by means such as the bolts I or the like.

The casing members .98 and I" are joined together by machine screws III to fdrm between. them a valve and controlled pressure chamber I provided valveseats tie and l;l2, one of which is formed on each'member.

The valve seat IIO surrounds a port leading to an air chamber I I4 formed in the casing member 88 and which communicates with the at-;

mosphere through ports IIG andan air cleaner II8 secured in annular relationship to the casing member 98. The member 88 is also formed with a port I20 leading from the controlled pressure chamber I08 to the controlled pressure conduit" previously described.

The valve seat II2 surrounds a port leadin to a vacuum chamber I22 formed in the casing member I and which communicates through a port I24 with the vacuum conduit a.

The casing members I00 and I02 are secured together by machine screws I28 and have clamped between them the periphery of a diaphragm I28. the members I00 and I02 respectively form diaphragm chambers adjacent the opposite sides of the diaphragm I28; The chamber I30 communi- Recesses I30 and I32 formed in cates with the vacuum chamber I22.by means of 4 a passage I34 and the chamber I32 communicates with the controlled pressure chamber I08 by means of a central longitudinal bore 538 formed in a valve plunger I38.

The valve plunger I38 is slidably mounted and extends coaxially through the casing members 88 and I00. The right-hand end as seen in Figure 3 is secured to the center of the diaphragm I28 and the left-hand end extends out of the casing member 88 and is formed with a socket I40 receiving the end of the valve push rod 86.

Within the valve chamber I08 are a pair of valve discs I42 and I44 slidably mounted on the plunger I38 and urged apart into contact with the respective valve seats I I0 and H2 by a coiled spring I45 compressed between their inner faces.

Adjacent the outer faces of the valve discs I42 and I44 are ,abutments I46 and I48 secured to I the plunger I38 and adapted to lift the respecvalves may be moved to a position in which both are substantially closed.

A coiled spring I50 is'compressed between the casing member I02 and the diaphragm I28 to vacuum valve I44 to admit vacuum to the controlled pressure chamber I08 and therethrough bymeans of the port I20 tothe controlled pressure conduit 14 and the forward end of the vacuum cylinder 34. Thus it will be seen that, since the other end of the cylinder is at all times connected to vacuum through the conduit 10b, the vacuum pressures on opposite sides of the piston 32 are balanced, whereby the normal return springs of the brakes (not shown) move the piston 32 to the left and cause the brakes to be released.

v urge the plunger I38 to the left and open the through the'clevis 84, and push rod 96, moves the valve plunger I38 to the right, firstclo'sing the vacuum valve I44 and then opening the air valve I42 to admit air to ber I08. 1

The air in the controlled pressure chamber I08 passes through the port I20 and the conduit I4 to the forward end of the power cylinder 34 and forces the piston 32 to the right, rotating the cross-shaft 21in a counterclockwise direction to apply the brakes through the previously described linkages.

' At the same time the air passes into the diaphragm chamber I32 through the passage I 38 and exerts a force on the diaphragm proportional to the pressure admitted. This force tends to move the valve plunger back towards its original position and must be met by an equal force on the pedal ii the brake is to remain applied to that extent.

Similarly the pedal must be continually depressed as long as brake applying movement of the cylinder 34 is continued else the movement of the brake rod 22 will be more .rapid than that of the rod I8, whereupon the members of the valve carrier I8 will move toward each other and permit the valve to move into lapped position to prevent further brake applying movement.

An increase in pedal pressure will shift the valve to admit more air until the air pressure on the diaphragm again balances the pedal pressure, and similarly a slight'release of pressure will permit the valve to shift in the opposite direction to evacuate some of the air until the air pressureion the diaphragm I28 is again in balance with the pedal pressure.

- Thus it will be seen that I have provided a simple and compact arrangement of power brake means which provides the usual followup" and in addition an accurately proportional reaction or feel on the brake pedal.

Also it will benoted that, if the vacuum system should fail, the brakes 84 may be applied manually without placing any undue strain on delicate valve parts, inasmuch as the forces would be transmitted directly through the carrier members l4 and 16 and the pin 82. 7

It will also be observed that the novel valve lever 80, through the unequal spacing of the pivots 88, 88 and 82, multiplies the relative motion of the carrier members, whereby adequate valve motion is provided without much loss in pedal travel, and at the same time the lever acts in the opposite direction to multiply the reactive force on the diaphragm I28 whereby an adequate reaction may be obtained by the use of a smaller and consequently more durable diaphragm.

.While only one embodiment of my invention has been described in detail, it is not my intention to be limited to that embodiment or otherwise {high by the terms of the appended claims.

1 A valve formed with an air chamber, a vacuum chamber and a controlled pressure chamber,

In operation, the brakes are applied in the clockwise direction about its fulcrum pin 88 and, 7

air and vacuum port fo'r connecting either of the first two chambers respectively with the third, valve means for opening and closing said ports, means responsive to pressure'in the controlled chamber for opposing movement of one of said valve means, said last named means com prising a diaphragm connected to said valve means and subjected on one side to the pressure in the controlled chamber and on the otherside to the pressure in one of the other chambers, a support for said valve, a lever pivot-ed on said the controlled pressure cham- I aa'raosa H pivoted on said support and connectedtos'ai'd support'and connected to said valve means, and

v operator operated means connected to said lever,

at a point nearer its pivot than the-connection to said valve means.

-2. A valve formed with uum chamber and a controlled pressure chamber, air and vacuum ports for connecting either of an air, chamber, a vacvalve means, and operator operated means connected to said. lever at a point nearer its pivot than the connection to said valve means.

7. A valve formed with an atmospheric pressure chamber, a chamber connected'to pressure differing from atmospheric and a controlled pres-" the first two chambers respectively with the third, valve means for opening and closing said ports, and means responsive to pressure in the sure chamber, air and vacuum ports for connecting either of the first two chambers recontrolled chamber for opposing movement of 1 one of said valve means, said last named'means comprising a diaphragm connected to said valve means and subjected'on one side to the pressure in thecontrolled chamber and on the other side to the pressure in one ofth other chambers.

3. A valve formed with an atmospheric pressure chamber, a chamber connected to pressure spectively with thethird, valve means for open-i ing and closing said ports comprising a rod ex- 1,

tending through said valve, a pair'oi port closing members slidably mounted on said rod, stops on said rod for limiting movements oiflsaid port closing members and a spring interposed between.

said port closing members, means responsive to pressure in the icontrolled" chamber for opposing movement of one of said valve means, said last differing from atmospheric and a controlled pressure chamber, air and vacuum ports for con necting either of; the first .two chambers respectively' with the third; valve means for open-.

'ing and closing said ports, means responsive to pressure in the controlled chamber for opposing movement of one of said valve means, said last to said valve means and subjected on one side to the pressure in .the controlled chamber and on the other side to the pressure in-one o! the otherchambers, a support for said valve, a. lever on the other side to the pressure in 'oneof the" 25. named means comprising a diaphragm connected pivoted on said supportand connected to said valve means, and operator operated means connecte'd to saidlever at a point nearer its pivot than the connection to said valve means.

4. A valve formed with an atmospheric pressure chamber, a chamber connected to pressure difiering from atmospheric and a controlled pressure chamber, air and vacuum ports for connecting either of the first two chambers respectively with the third, valve means for opening and closing said ports, and means responsive to pressure in the controlled chamber for opposing movement of one of said valve means.

said last named means comprising a diaphragm connected to said valvemeans and subjected on one side to the pressure in the controlled chamber and on the other side to the pressure in one oi'the other chambers.

5. A valve formed with an atmospheric pres-.

sure chamber, a chamber connected to pressure difiering from. atmospheric and a controlled pressure chamber, air and vacuum ports for connecting either of the first two chambers respectively with the third, valve means for opening and closing said ports comprising a rod extending through said valve, a pair of port closing members slidably mounted on said rod, stops on said named means comprising a diaphragm connected tosaid valvemeans and subjected on one side tothe pressure in the controlledchamber and other chambers, a support for said valve, a lever pivoted on said support and connected to said valve-means, and operator operated means con-- nected..,to said lever at a point nearer its pivot than the connectionto said valve means. a

8. A valve formed with an atmospheric pressure chamber, a chamber connected to pressure differing from atmospheric and a controlled pres.

sure chamber, air and vacuum ports for connecting either of the first two. chambers respe'ctively with the. third, valve means for openin and closing said ports comprising a-rod extending through saidvalve, a pair of port closing members slidably mounted on said rod, stops on said rod 'for limiting movements of said port closing-members and a spring interposed between said port closing members, and means responsive topressure in the controlled chamber for opposing movement of one of said valve? means, said last named means comprising a diaphragm connected to said valve means and subjected on one side to the pressure in the controlled chamber and on the other side to the pressure in one of the other chambers.

9..For a power controlling system, a valve formed with an air chamber, a vacuum chamber open the air port.

rod for limiting movements of said port closing members and a springlinterposed between said port closing members, a support for said valve, alever pivoted on said" support and connected to said valve means, and operator operatcdmeans connected to said lever at a point nearer .its

pivot than the connection to said valve-means. 6; A valve formed with an air chamber, a vacuum chamber and a controlled pressure chamber, air and vacuum ports for connecting either of the first two chambers respectively with i the third, valve means for opening. and closing said ports comprising a rod extending through said valve, a pair of port closing members slidably mounted on said rod, stopson said rod for limiting movements of said port closing members and a spring interposed between said port closing members, a support for said valve, a lever 10. For a power controlling system, a valve formed with an air chamber, a vacuum chamber and a controlled pressure chamber, air and vacuum ports for the respective communication of the rlrst two chambers with the third, valve means'for alternately opening and closing said ports, means biasing the valve means to open the vacuum port, and means responsive to the pressure in the controlled pressure chamber for opposing movement of said valve means to open the air port, said last named means comprising a diaphragm connected to said valve means and subjected on one-side to the pressure in the ,vacuum chamber and on the otherside to the pressure in said controlled pressure chamber.

11. For a power controlling system; a valve formed with an air chamber, a vacuum chamber and a controlled pressure chamber, air and vacformed with an air phragm connected to said valve uum ports for the respective communication of the first two chambers with the third, valve means for alternately opening and closing said ports,- means biasing the valve means to open the vacuum port, and means responsive to the pressure in the controlled pressure chamber for opposing movement of said valve means to, open the air port, said ports being arranged in opposed relationship at opposite ends of the controlled pressure chamber and having annularly disposed valve seats, and said valve means comprising a pair of pop t valves having their outer faces urged against said valve seats by a coiled spring compressed between their inner faces.

12. For a power controlling system, a valve formed with an air chamber, a vacuum chamber and a controlled pressure chamber, air and vacuum ports for the respective communication of the first two chambers with the third, valve means for alternately opening and closing said ports, means biasing the valve means to open the vacuum port, and means responsive to the pressure in the controlled pressure chamber for opposing movement of said valve means to'open the air port, and said ports being arranged in opposed relationship at opposite ends of the controlled pressure chamber and having annularly disposed valve seats, and said valve means comprising a pair of poppet valves having their'outer faces urged against said valve seats by a coiled spring compressed between their inner faces and acoaxially arranged plunger upon which said valves are slidably mounted and which i provided with spaced abutments respectively engageable with .the outer faces of said valves to unseat them;

13. For a power controlling system, a valve formed with an air chamber, a vacuum chamber and a controlled pressure chamber, air and vacuum ports for the respective communication of the first two chambers with the third, valve means I for alternately openingand closing said ports,

means biasing the valve means to open the vacuum port, and means responsive to the pressure in the controlled pressure chamber for opposing movement of said valve mean to open the air port, said last named means comprising 9. diaphragm connected to said valve means and subfirst two chambers with the third, valve means for alternately opening and closing said ports, means biasing'the valve means um port, and means responsive to the pressure in the controlled pressure chamber for opposing movement of said valve means to open the-air port, said last named means comprising a diameans and subjected on one side to the pressure in the vacuum chamber and on the other side to said controlled pressure chamber, and said ports pressure chamber, said ports bespring compressed between. their into open the vaeubeing arranged in opposed relationship at opposite ends cf the controlled pressure chamber and having annularly. disposed valve seats, and said valve mean comprising a pair of poppet valves having their outer faces urged against said valve seats by a coiled spring c'ompressed between their inner faces and a ooaxially arranged plunger upon which said valves are slidably mounted and which is provided with spaced abutments respectively engageable with the outer faces of said valve to unseat them.

15. For a power controlling system, a, valve formed with an air chamber, a vacuum chamber and a controlled pressure chamber, air and vacuum ports for the respective communication of the first two chambers with the third, valve means for alternately opening and closing said ports, means biasing the valve means to open the vacuum port, and means responsive to the pressure in the controlled pressure chamber for opposing movement of said valve means to open the air port, said last named means comprising a diaphragm connected to said valve means and subjected on one side to the pressure in the vacuum chamber and on the other side to the pressure in said controlled pressure chamber, said ports being arranged in opposed relationship at opposite ends of the controlled pressure chamber and having annularly disposed valve seats, and said valve means comprising a pair of poppet valves having their outer faces urged against said valve seats by a coiled spring compressed between their the pressure in 'one chamber inner faces and a ooaxially arranged plunges upon which said valves are slidably mounted and which is provided with spaced abutments respectively engageable with the outer faces of said valves to unseat them, and said plunger being formed with an axial bore extending from said controlled pressure chamber to one side of said diaphragm. g

16. In a control. valve, a controlled pressure chamber and a vacuum chamber, a manually controlled member, a valve plunger in the cham-' bers connected to the manually controlled member and adapted to transmit reaction force thereto, and a diaphragm positioned at one side of one of the chambers opposite the other chamber, the valve being formed with a passage between the and -the space on the nearer side of the diaphragm, and said plunger being formed with a longitudinal passage between the other chamber and the space on the farther side of the diaphragm. r

. 17 .A control valve having, in axial arrangement in the following sequence, an air chamber, a controlled pressure chamber, a vacuum chamber and a diaphragm chamber, a diaphragm in the diaphragm chamber, ing through said chambers and connected to said diaphragm, the plunger being provided with valve means alternately providing communication .between the first and second and thesecond and third chambers, said valve being formed with a passage between the vacuum chamber and the portion of the diaphragm chamber on the nearer side of the diaphragm. and the plunger being formed with a longitudinal passage between the controlled pressure chamber and the portion of the diaphragm chamber on the farther side of the diaphragm.

EARL R. PRICE.

fl-lld a plunger extend- 

